Public Relations

Dr. Kevin Trowbridge, APR, is passionate about helping others realize who God created them to be so they can do what God called them to do. And that’s what he gets to do every day as an associate professor and chair of the Department of Public Relations.

Trowbridge joined the faculty at Belmont in 2011 and has taught many of the core and elective courses offered by the department. After teaching the first social media course in 2011, Trowbridge spearheaded the development and launch of an undergraduate Social Media Management program. He also collaborated with his colleagues to create a new graduate program, the Master of Science in Strategic Communication and Leadership, which also began in Fall 2020. Trowbridge also advises Tower Creative Communications, Belmont’s student-run strategic communication agency.

Trowbridge, who is Accredited in Public Relations (APR), brings nearly a decade of full-time professional experience to the classroom. Before returning to academia, he served as vice president for communications at the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), an international higher educational association headquartered in Washington, D.C. Other experiences include work in public relations, corporate communications, and marketing in higher education, healthcare, and financial institutions.

When he’s not focused on curriculum, instruction, or assessment, Trowbridge enjoys researching contemporary communication strategies, social media practices, organization-public relationships, and the intersection of communication and faith. He regularly shares his research through presentations and papers.

Trowbridge and his wife of more than 20 years, Robyn Clifford Trowbridge, live in Smyrna, Tennessee with their adorable, yet mischievous American Cocker Spaniel puppy named Hank.

Dr. Christie Kleinmann, APR is an associate professor of public relations at Belmont University. In this capacity, she teaches courses in public relations, design & production, and sport communication. Kleinmann has been a featured presenter at many national and international research conferences and has been recognized for both her research and mentorship activities. She was named a Page Legacy Scholar by the Arthur W. Page Center for her research on social responsibility in sports and a Page Legacy Educator for her teaching modules on social responsibility in public relations.

Professionally, Kleinmann is accredited from the Public Relations Society of America and has served as the PRSA Lookout Chapter Accreditation Chair. Kleinmann has also received several professional awards, including the 40 Under 40 Business Leader Award in Northeast TN/Southwest VA, the 30 in their 30s Leadership Award in Southeast, TN, and the Geneva King Writing Award. Her professional background includes experience in health care and sport communication.
Kleinmann received her doctorate in Communication from the University of Tennessee with an emphasis in sport public relations. She received her bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from King University in Bristol, Tenn. and her Master’s degree in Communication from Auburn University.

Dr. Riechert teaches Public Relations Writing & Production and Public Relations Campaigns and serves as faculty advisor to the nationally-recognized Belmont University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Under her guidance the student chapter has received numerous national awards for ethics advocacy, chapter development and the PRSSA Star Chapter Award. She came to Belmont in 2006. Her background includes teaching at a state university, serving in public relations/communications positions at two state universities, and working as a journalist at a major daily newspaper.

She is active in a number of professional organizations including the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the International Communication Association, the National Communication Association, and the Religion Communicators Council. She serves on the boards of the Nashville PRSA Chapter and PRSA Southeast District. She is accredited in public relations and was named a PRSA Fellow in 2007.

Her research interests include strategic organizational communications, ethics in public relations, health communication, and message framing. She has authored scholarly journal articles, book chapters, and trade journal articles.

Dr. Riechert is married to Arthur Manuel Riechert Jr.

Trenay Perry Bynum is a life-long learner, servant, and educator committed to sharing her passion for communication with the next generation of professionals using her spiritual gifts and talents. Bynum teaches core and elective courses in public relations, including Public Relations Principles, Public Relations Writing, and Social Media Content Development.

Bynum has worked in strategic communications for over 30 years and has generously shared her expertise with cause-oriented organizations such as the Nashville Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc, Alkebu-Lan Images, the National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program, Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, and the Scarritt-Bennett Center. She founded and directed Figures of Nashville, Inc., for which she received the Women's Hospital at Centennial's Spirit of Women Award (Community Service Division).

Her spiritual gifts and passions intersect with her desire to craft messages that have a positive impact. Bynum is an outspoken advocate for family education and health care access, particularly for women. She is the author of TRIUMPH! The Beautiful Face of Courage. She views it as sowing seeds throughout the Nashville community, having organized various health-related events, including Sisters Together and Fit, Fine, and Fabulous.

Along with her academic pursuits and teaching responsibilities, Bynum is responsible for promotional communications for her church and is laying the groundwork for a youth communications training opportunity through TedX@JeffersonStreet.

She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. in strategic media at Liberty University. Bynum graduated from Cumberland University with a master's degree in public service management and from Tennessee State University with a bachelor's degree in mass communications.

Bynum enjoys reading, film criticism (really, just lively discussions about movies), personal branding research and writing, being a mother to a GenZer, and spending time with her husband, Quinton Bynum. They have two fur babies, Oliver the cat and Wyatt the bulldog.